Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-06-09
A PRICELESS PEARL.
''SusyPn
s.Yes. Miss PrYce.N

it, although o being especially
literary, she never wrote there. nor
anywhere else.
Miss Pryce was one of those human
flowers who blossom out late in life.
Up to thirty years of age she had been
a factory girl. At that time the sudden
rise in the value Of some suburban
property, which had belonged to her
dead father, made a wealthy woman of
her.
Miss Pryce had ambition and energy.
She moved rs far away rs possible from
yelling Mills, bought a palace of a
house, engaged a staff of servants.
headed by a butler who had the man.
ners and appearance of a bishop, and a
housekeepcr who might have been
Queen Victoria in disguise.
She began a course of reading, of
which, as a matter of curse, she soon
tired; engaged a French maid, and
assumed all the dignity of one born in
purple.
Yet she was disconnected enough as
she sat there in the radiant cross lights
of the unstained glass windows of the
writing-room, with her elbows on her
knees, her chin III her hands, and the
lustrous folds of her Watteau-shaped
wrapper lying around her in a glitter
ing mass.
The fact was that Miss Pryce had
reached a point that money could not
touch. Miss Pryce was in love.
Hugo Field had been the foreman in
the Yelling Mills factory when Miss
Pryce did days work for days wages.
He was in Philadelphia now. superin-
tending the erection of a great iron
works.
And Susan Holland, who had stood
at the loom next to Miss Pryce's own
for two years, was her attendant at such
times as the presence of Mademoiselle
Celine was too oppressive.
II can say and do as | like before
Susy," Miss Pryce observed, with a sigh
of relief.
Mrs Prycc was tall and large and
square-shouldered, with deep-gray eyes,
thin colourless hair, and a firm, thin
Tipped mouth. Evidently nature had
meant her for a man.
Susy Holland was a small, fresh.
checked, dewy-eyed ~lassie, with hair
that twisted itself naturally into curly
rings, and a little red rose of a mouth.
''Susy!' said Miss Prycc, abruptly,
nodding toward a hammered brass
card-receiyer OF the table. ''are those
all the cards that were left yesterday"
Eyes, Miss Pryce."
"All? Are you quite sure?'
''Quite sure, Miss Pryce."
..Humph!' said the heiress. Then,
of course, Hugo Field didn't call"
"Hugo never leaves a card, Miss
Pryce," said Susy. .'He-"
Look here, Susie" sharply inter.
rupted Miss Pryce; ''don't you think
it would sound quite as well if you
were to say Mr.. Field, considering al
things?"
Susy Redeemed deeply.
Mr.. Field" she corrected herself,
in Il low voice.
For you know" relentlessly wenr
on Miss Pryce, ''yOu are nothing but {
sort of upper servant, after all. And
Mr.. Field is in a fair way to be one o
the stars of the scientific world"
Yes" murmured Susy; Il know
he's a very learned man. At-least, 81
people say"
''HOw is the grouty canary, SusieP'
questioned Miss Pryce, after a minute
or two Of silence.
"Oh. he's Il deal better, ma'am,'
said Susy.
And the little marmoset that ha(
cramps?"
There's nothing at all the matter
with him to-day, Miss Pryce."
You're a good girl, Susy," said Miss
Pryce, perhaps regretting her sharpness
of Il few moments ago. There's that
black lace dress of mine, Susy-it don't
become me, and I'm tired of it. You
can have it if you like
THANK YOU, Miss Pryce," said Susy,
whose wardrobe was of the slenderest
''But-but | don't know what use J
could possibly have for a black lace
dress"
Give it away, if you don't want tc
wear it," said the heiress. s.Sell it.
I'm told there are people who
make it their whole business to buy
such things"
Thank you, Miss Pryce," sale
Susy.
And she took the black lace dress,
brilliant CONNECTION of Chantilly ~flounce,
ovcr an old-gold silk foundation
folded it up, and sold it to a yer,
respectable on a side street
who dealt in dyed and renovated goods
And with the prIce-none too much, W,
.,.- L., -,n, gJ,n IA,,nht Ln,a,1f =, Hall
blue cashmere gown, more suited to he
position in life.
At the end of n week, Mrs. Hubbs
the dealer in second hand stock knocke,
mysteriously at Miss Pryce's door, will
a tat box on her arm.
This black lace reception dress
said shc-"whom did it belong to
One of the ladies in the house, l be
kcvc?n
The housekeeper, who had the man
ncrs of Il reduced queen, deigned to be
come interested, although it had beef
her first impulse to order the intrude
OF the premises and discharge tn
maid who had been bold enough to con
veg her II from the area door.
She i,3t on her gold eyeglasses.
alt i Hiss Pryce's gown" said she
.'Hnw dI it come into your possession
my pJ.i soul?"
ii vas sold to 1ne," said Mrs. Hubbs
.'Doat hook at me as if you thought II
stole i, uGm! I'm as honest woman
as aal IL the state OF Pennsylvania, ant
i amt accustomed TO be .good-souled
by anybody! It's mine by sale an,
barter. But what amt mine is this,
producing u folded slip of paper. %
foGnni it in the pocket of the gownd
and Id scorn to keep what wasn't m,
own: and so, if you please mum,
dropping an ironically deep curtsy
''Iu bid you a good day!'
Queen Victoria took some time t.
recover from the shock of this blum
address; but when at last she regaine'
her mental e~quipose, she carried tn
letter to Miss Pryce and told the story
"a letter, ehP" said the heiress
slow cine it there?"
Queen Victoria found herself unabl
to answer this question.
Some one is culpably careless sal
Miss Pryce. Where is Celine?"
Perhaps, ma'am,' said the house
Keeper, '.you forget that that you CAV
siaiemoiseIie Celne leave to 60 on
this afternoon"